Last Report: 9/22/2020
Source: https://dl.ncsbe.gov/?prefix=ENRS/2020_11_03/

Returned and Accepted Mail Ballots

Ballots Returned: 173,301
Return Rate: 17.8%

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by Party Registration

Party Returned Ballots Freq. Distribution Requested Ballots Return Rate
Democrats 95,190 54.9 473,023 20.1
Republicans 27,128 15.7 166,831 16.3
Minor 474 0.3 3,996 11.9
No Party Affiliation 50,509 29.1 306,045 16.5
TOTAL 173,301 100.0 949,895 18.2
All
Dem
Rep
NPA
Minor

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by 2016 Vote History

Note: North Carolina provides only aggregate request statistics, so it is impossible to generate ballot return rates by 2016 general vote.
Voted Count Percent
Voted in 2016 General 133,953 77.3
Did Not Vote in 2016 General 39,348 22.7
TOTAL 173,301 100.0

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by Race and Ethnicity

Race/Ethnicity Returned Ballots Freq. Distribution Requested Ballots Return Rate
Non-Hispanic White 126,734 73.1 640,579 19.8
Non-Hispanic Black 27,959 16.1 171,429 16.3
Hispanic 2,787 1.6 21,789 12.8
Non-Hispanic Asian American 2,727 1.6 22,527 12.1
Non-Hispanic Native American 499 0.3 3,972 12.6
Other/Multiple/Unknown 12,594 7.3 89,599 14.1
TOTAL 173,301 100.0 949,895 18.2

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by Age

Age Returned Ballots Freq. Distribution Requested Ballots Return Rate
18 to 25 6,269 3.6 73,375 8.5
26 to 40 17,180 9.9 159,699 10.8
41 to 65 55,992 32.3 356,791 15.7
66 and up 88,965 51.3 381,766 23.3
TOTAL 173,301 100.0 971,631 17.8

Mail Ballots Returned and Accepted by Gender

Gender Returned Ballots Freq. Distribution Requested Ballots Return Rate
Female 90,988 52.5 519,095 17.5
Male 74,612 43.1 373,572 20.0
Unknown 7,701 4.4 57,228 13.5
TOTAL 173,301 100.0 949,895 18.2

Rejected

Ballots Rejected: 1,738
Rejection Rate: 1%

Most of these rejected ballots are for the ballot status reason of “WITNESS INFO INCOMPLETE”.

North Carolina election officials are required by state law to follow up with these voters. If you are a North Carolina voter concerned about your mail ballot, you can track the status of your ballot at the North Carolina State Board of Elections website.

In the “All” mail ballot returned statistics, I add the mail ballots that are returned and accepted with the rejected ballots. Dividing the number of rejected by this quantity yields a rejection rate.

Mail Ballots Rejected by Party Registration

Party Rejected Ballots Freq. Distribution All Returned Ballots Rejection Rate
Democrats 1,110 63.9 96,300 1.2
Republicans 277 15.9 27,405 1.0
Minor 5 0.3 479 1.0
No Party Affiliation 346 19.9 50,855 0.7
TOTAL 1,738 100.0 175,039 1.0
All
Dem
Rep
NPA
Minor

Mail Ballots Rejected by Race and Ethnicity

Race/Ethnicity Rejected Ballots Freq. Distribution All Returned Ballots Rejection Rate
Non-Hispanic White 829 47.7 127,563 0.6
Non-Hispanic Black 698 40.2 28,657 2.4
Hispanic 48 2.8 2,835 1.7
Non-Hispanic Asian American 30 1.7 2,757 1.1
Non-Hispanic Native American 10 0.6 509 2.0
Other/Multiple/Unknown 123 7.1 12,717 1.0
TOTAL 1,738 100.0 175,039 1.0
Non-Hispanic White
Non-Hispanic Black

Requested

Ballots Requested: 971,631
Request Rate: 13.6%

Mail Ballot Requests by Party Registration

North Carolina registered Democrats have a 306,192 ballot request lead over registered Republicans.

Party Count Percent
Democrats 473,023 49.8
Republicans 166,831 17.6
Minor 3,996 0.4
No Party Affiliation 306,045 32.2
TOTAL 949,895 100.0

North Carolina releases an update to the voter registration file each Saturday. The voter registration numbers are from the most recent release and may be slightly dated.

All
Dem
Rep
NPA
Minor

Mail Ballot Requests by Race and Ethnicity

Race Count Percent
Non-Hispanic White 640,579 67.4
Non-Hispanic Black 171,429 18.0
Hispanic 21,789 2.3
Non-Hispanic Asian American 22,527 2.4
Non-Hispanic Native American 3,972 0.4
Other/Multiple/Unknown 89,599 9.4
TOTAL 949,895 100.0

Mail Ballot Requests by Age

North Carolina provides mail ballot request data in age ranges inconsistent with other states’ ranges. The age statistics presented here are not included in the national age statistics.

Age Count Percent
18 to 25 73,375 7.6
26 to 40 159,699 16.4
41 to 65 356,791 36.7
66 and up 381,766 39.3
TOTAL 971,631 100.0

Mail Ballot Requests by Gender

Gender Count Percent
Female 519,095 54.6
Male 373,572 39.3
Unknown 57,228 6.0
TOTAL 949,895 100.0